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The rubber game against the Giants and the World Cup final

It is the final day of the “first half” of the baseball season and coincidentally the final game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which features Spain vs. the Netherlands. Roger Bernadina has a vested interest in today’s game. He was born in Curacao and lives in Den Haag, Netherlands in the offseason. He played soccer for fun growing up but never on an organized team because he started playing baseball at such a young age and decided just to focus on baseball. Yes, he was a rare breed in the Netherlands to focus on baseball. He still loves soccer though.

Bernadina isn’t in the lineup today because Jim Riggleman opted for the right-handed Michael Morse in right field with left-hander Madison Bumgarner on the mound for the Giants, not so he can watch the World Cup.

“I am excited because they’ve never been to a final like that,” Bernadina said of his home country reaching the World Cup Finals. “I’m real excited. The thing is our game is on at the same time so I’m probably going to hear [about it] from one of those guys in the clubhouse.”

He still might be able to sneak back there to watch a few minutes.

Giants (46-41):

1. Aaron Rowand – CF

2. Freddy Sanchez – 2B

3. Aubrey Huff – LF

4. Buster Posey – C

5. Travis Ishikawa – 1B

6. Juan Uribe – SS

7. Pablo Sandoval – 3B

8. Nate Schierholtz – RF

9. Madison Bumgarner – SP (1-2, 2.86 ERA)

* In last night’s game, Buster Posey went 4-for-5 with a double, home run, three RBI and two runs scored. Posey is 19-for-37 (.514) with a double, six home runs, 13 RBI and 11 runs scored in his last ten games. His four hits yesterday match a career high.

Nationals (39-49):

1. Nyjer Morgan – CF

2. Cristian Guzman – 2B

3. Ryan Zimmerman – 3B

4. Adam Dunn – 1B

5. Josh Willingham – LF

6. Ivan Rodriguez – C

7. Michael Morse – RF

8. Ian Desmond – SS

9. Livan Hernandez – SP (6-4, 3.12 ERA)

* The Nationals are 4-1 in rubber games at home this season, but have lost their last four rubber games overall.

* Despite the team’s 10-5 loss to the Giants last night, starting pitcher Craig Stammen did not allow a run in the first inning to halt the franchise-record streak of nine consecutive games in which Washington starters allowed at least one run in the first inning.

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